Battle of Balasore

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Battle of Balasore
Part of Dano-Mughal War
Balasore map crop.png
Detailed map of Balasore and Pipeley, 1794
Date26 December 1647
Location
Balasore, (modern-day Odisha, India)
21°30′12″N86°55′30″E / 21.50333°N 86.92500°E / 21.50333; 86.92500
Result See Aftermath
Belligerents
Danish Colonial Merchant Ensign India.png  Danish India Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg Bengal Subah British East India Company flag.svg British East India
Flag of the Dutch East India Company.svg Dutch India
Commanders and leaders
Danish Colonial Merchant Ensign India.png Willem Leyel
Danish Colonial Merchant Ensign India.png Christen Clausen
Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg Malik Beg
Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg Local nawab
British East India Company flag.svg Richard Hudson
Units involved
Danish Colonial Merchant Ensign India.png Christianhavn
Danish Colonial Merchant Ensign India.png The Bengali Prize
Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg Unknown Unknown
Strength
5 Ships Multiple ships
16 guns
1000 men
British East India Company flag.svg+13 ships
Flag of the Dutch East India Company.svg 2 ships
Flag of the Dutch East India Company.svg 60 men
Casualties and losses
Unknown 1 ship
8 elephants
British East India Company flag.svg9-12 ships

The Battle of Balasore (Danish; Slaget ved Balasore) was an engagement between Bengali and English ships against Danish ships at Balasore. When the English failed to persuade the Danes, the Bengalis started attacking the English vessel, yet the English were rescued by the Dutch.

Contents

Background

In 1643 Willem Leyel deposed governor Bernt Pessart as overhoved of Danish India. [1] In the preceding year Pessart had declared war on the Mughal Empire. [2] Leyel continued the privateering war against the Mughals as a source of revenue and income. [3]

In 1647 the privateer war still waged, and in December that year a noticeable incident was recorded by the English at Balasore. [3]

Battle

The English at Balasore was given a good reception at Balasore. [4] Yet when a Danish fleet of five ships, including Christianshavn and The Bengali Prize, appeared things suddenly started to change. [4] The Danes had come to settle their long standing grievances and debts against the Mughal authorities by force. [5]

Confrontation with the Danish

Danes seized one of the Moorish ships with eight elephants at the habour. [6] At the request of Governor Malik Beg, the English twice attmepted to persuade the escaping Danish fleet. [5] When this proved a failure for the English, the Mughals informed the English that they now would have to compensate the damage made by the Danes since both Europeans were Christians. [5] [6]

A Chart of Mouths of Hoogly River and of the Roads of Balasore and Piply Material cartografico From Point Palmiras to Lacam s Channel with t.jpg
Chart of the Mouths of the Hooghly River and of the Roads of Balasore and Piply
Balasore map crop small.png
Close-up image of Balasore and the Budhabalanga River

Prelude

The English then tried to escape the habour, yet were blockaded by the Mughals, who placed guns at strategic points and summoned a large force of soldiers. [6] Meanwhile, a letter from the Nawab arrived with a captain and 500 cavalry, demanding to meet the English outside of the town. [7] The English factors refused the demands of the letter. [8]

Battle

When the Nawab heard the English rejection he called c 1.000 soldiers and placed nine guns in strategic positions around the habour. [8] [6] The following day additional guns were planted. [8] The English could not leave the habour and the Budhabalanga River because of a blockade. [8] [6] The Bengalis had already seized 3-4 English boats and 6-8 smaller vessels in the river. [8]

Things escalated when the Bengalis fired at the British warehouse in Balasore. [8] The English took position with their guns and an insuing confrontation lasted four hours. [8]

Because of the blockade, the Dutch East India Company's business was stopped, and was thus fored to join the English course. [8] The Dutch send 60 men and 2 ships to Balasore, which unprovoked the attack on the English. [8]

Aftermath

At the time of the Battle the Danes had presumably already managed to bring tehmselves and their prize to safety. The war between the Danes and Mughals in Bengal hindered the prospects of trade of the English and Dutch at Balasore. [5]

See also

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